Preparation and characterization of chemically TEMPO-oxidized and mechanically disintegrated sacchachitin nanofibers (SCNF) for enhanced diabetic wound healing.

TEMPO-oxidization and mechanical disintegration were utilized to develop sacchachitin nanofibers (SCNF) with a 3D gel structure for being an ideal scaffold. Mechanically disintegrated SCNF (MDSCNF) with NanoLyzer® at 20,000 psi for 5 cycles and TEMPO-oxidized SCNF (TOSCNF) produced with 5.0 and 10.0 mmole NaClO/g SC was designated as SCN5, T050SC, and T100SC, respectively. All 2% MDSCNF suspensions were demonstrated to be in gel form, while all except T100SC of 2% TOSCNF suspensions showed to be wet fiber-like hydrogel. In diabetic wound healing study, both SCN5 and T050SC incorporated in AMPS (2-acrylamide-2-methyl-propane sulfonate)-based wound dressing were showed to accelerate diabetic wound healing forming nearly the same as normal tissues. T050SC/H further provided the healed wound with growth of sweat glands and hair follicles indicating the wound had healed as functional tissue. Conclusively, TEMPO-oxidized SCNF-based hydrogel scaffolds showed greater potentials in tissue regeneration due to its unique physical and chemical properties.